I am Campaigns and Networking Coordinator at Baby Milk Action, which monitors the baby food industry. Our aim is to protect breastfeeding and babies fed on formula from practices that put profits before health. This is a daily look behind the scenes of the work of Baby Milk Action, including the boycott of Nestlé (the worst of the baby food companies), which we promote in the UK. See the Baby Milk Action website if you are unfamiliar with our work.

Friday, April 27, 2007

UK sets example as companies remove health claims from labels

It's nice to actually be able to congratulate the UK authorities for setting an example - that is a good one - to the rest of the world, instead of whinging about the pretty useless implementation of the World Health Assembly marketing requirements in the UK. Sure, baby food companies get away with aggressive marketing in the UK which would see Chief Executives imprisoned in countries such as India, but let us set that to one side for now.

The example is helping health advocates around the world, particularly in those countries that are trying to introduce similar measures but are finding the industry is not accepting the regulations. In the UK companies have agreed to change and the labels are now coming onto the market. In the Philippines some of the same companies have taken the Department of Health to court and have successfully blocked regulations.

Both the UK Department of Health activity encourages breastfeeding. Witth support from the Baby Milk Action group, they have argued the nutritional claims as illegal under the UK and European regulations that were first introduced in 1995.

The two work for the past decade to improve breastfeeding rate in the UK where only 22 percent of mothers are still breastfeeding their baby at six months, which is one of the poorest records in Europe.

In the Philippines, the breastfeeding rate is much lower at 16 percent with 13 percent of infants not breastfeed at all.

In July 2006, after several years of cosultation with industry and community groups, UNICEF and WHO, the Department of Health introduced strict regulations in order to implement the 1986 Milk Code.

The new regulation includes a ban on the advertising and promotion of milk substitutes for children up to two years old, with an absolute ban on false health and nutritional claims.

However, represented by Pharmaceutical Health Association of the Philippines, the milk companies appealed to the Supreme Court arguing that the new regulation to implement the Milk Code constituted a restraint on freedom of trade.

As a result, the Supreme Court granted temporary restraining order that is still in effect to date.

International groups from Malaysia, Geneva, UK, Boston, and Canada such as the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), Baby Milk Action (BMA), Infant Feeding Action Coalition (INFACT)and International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) alongside local advocacy groups like Arugaan, Liga ng mga Barangay, Nurturers of the Earth, Inc., Pro-Life, and La Leche Movement are working together to have the revised implementing rules and regulations of the Milk Code in effect.---quote ends

A quick check to the supermarket today shows that Heinz has changed its Farley's labels, removing the 'closer than ever to breast-milk' claim (though keeping its teddy bear, an idealizing image prohibited by the Code and Resolutions).

Numico has also changed its Cow&Gate labels, removing its 'now even closer to breastmilk' slogan and claim the 'prebiotics support the immune system' (instead saying 'prebiotic care').

Here is a graphic illustration of the Cow&Gate change in the Tesco in Ely: an pack of old formula, surrounded by the new one.

Click here for a larger version. You will see how the slogan has gone and the prebiotic claim changed. Again they have a prohibited teddy bear image. I'll give a fuller analysis of the new labels in a while, but we are seeing an end to the worst of the idealising claims.

So well done to the authorities in the UK.

Let us hope the Supreme Court in the Philippines will back the Department of Health there, a country where 16,000 infants die every year as a result of inappropriate feeding.

1 comment:

Hi, I dunno how to reach you by email. I just want to inform you that a few moms in Indonesia are protesting against Nutricia for their latest formula campaign, by sending letters to the Nutricia director and local news paper. Quoted below is the letter to Nutricia Director.

Marc de RouwPresident DirectorPT Nutricia Indonesia Sejahtera

Dear Sir,

As you know, manufacturers of baby foods should abide by theprovisions of the International Code of Marketing of BreastmilkSubstitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions of the World HealthAssembly.

I am very concerned and shocked to see your latest advertisingcampaign that was aired on Trans TV, Wednesday 25 April 2007 at5.45pm, for the product NUTRILON ROYAL 3 with Immunofortis("Product"). The ad clearly compared breatmilk to artificial milk,claiming that breatmilk provides the best immunization during thefirst years of life, but that as the child grows older, the Productprovides Immunity For Life (suggesting that breastmilk does not).

In light of the overwhelming facts supporting the evidence ofLIFELONG IMMUNIZATION BENEFITS (Immunity For Life) of breastmilk, Iask that your company instantly stop any and all public airing ofthis most recent media campaign, including each and every print andelectronic advertising that directly or indirectly depictsbreastmilk as inferior to, or even the same as artificial milk.

I also ask that you act immediately to review your baby foodmarketing practices and end any and all violations of theInternational Code and Resolutions immediately.

Click to add this widget!

Receive emails of new posts

Breastfeeding calendar 2012

IBFAN's famous breastfeeding calendar is now available at reduced price. With 12 full-colour A4 breastfeeding pictures from around the world. View them in our on-line Virtual Shop and order today!

.

Infant Formula Explained

Independent, accurate information on infant formula from the Baby Feeding Law Group. Produced by Baby Milk Action and MarkIt Television. Suitable for use in UNICEF Baby Friendly certified health facilities. Click here to view clips and order.

ONE MILLION CAMPAIGN

Petition calling on political leaders to act on their promises to protect, promote and support breastfeeding

Push this site up the Stumbled upon listings

Books

How we can use human rights arguments to defend the right to food. With a chapter by Mike Brady on holding corporations to account (with Nestlé as a case study) and by Dr. Arun Gupta on breastfeeding.

Donations wanted

It is very difficult - and time consuming - to find funding for our UK work. If you are wealthy and want to help, please consider making a big donation. Use this button to pay by credit card, PayPal or cheque (cheques cost us less to process). Read more here.

Donations of any size can be made via the donation page on our website.

Newsfeeds

You can download this widget or add it to your website or blog to keep updated from Baby Milk Action newsfeeds: this blog, the weekly podcast and the website (use the arrows at the top to move between them)

Comments on the Virtual Shop

Now you can leave and read comments about items in our Virtual Shop.

Is this blog useful? Can you make a donation?

Thanks for reading! Can you make a donation from time to time to support Baby Milk Action's work? Just click the button to donate using our secure server. The only advertising you will find on this blog is for our materials.